Many surface coverings include patterns applied using rotogravure printing, where colors and patterns are printed on the surface of a base layer. Rotogravure printing uses a rotating cylinder to print colored inks on top of the core layer, and is capable of providing an extremely large number of possibilities in patterns and designs. Typically, the printed pattern is covered with a clear vinyl wear layer and the product is oven cured.
Many of these decorative surface coverings, particularly in the flooring industry, include a textured surface. For example, a textured surface can be used to provide a more natural appearance for decorative patterns, such as wood, slate, mosaic, brick, and other natural products, which have been printed onto a substrate. The presence of the surface texture can provide a more realistic visual or natural appearance of a natural product. The texture is typically imparted by means of various mechanical and chemical embossing techniques. The chemical embossing techniques often involve printing an ink that includes a foaming inhibitor, to inhibit foaming in the printed regions.
Expandable microspheres such as the commercially available Micopearl® and Expancell® have been incorporated into ink formulations, printed in design layers, and then expanded to provide a raised surface texture. Examples of such textured materials include wallpaper with a “suede-like” texture.
It would be advantageous to provide further methods for providing texture to surface coverings. The present invention provides such methods, and surface coverings prepared according to these methods.